A wheel casing for a vehicle having a wheel assembly including a wheel and a tire. The wheel casing includes a body portion positionable adjacent an inboard surface of the tire, and a brake cooling duct defining an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening. The air outlet opening is in fluid communication with a brake system component and the air inlet opening is positionable inboard of the body portion when the body portion is positioned adjacent the inboard surface of the tire, thereby providing cooling air flow through the brake cooling duct to the brake system component when the vehicle is in forward motion. The wheel casing further includes a suspension arm undercover extending inboard of the body portion and configured to protect predetermined components of the vehicle.

A vehicle airflow control device includes: a wheel shutter that is provided to a vehicle wheel, and is movable by a driving mechanism between an open position at which an opening between spokes of the vehicle wheel is brought into an open state and a closed position at which the opening is brought into a closed state; a shutter device that is provided to an introduction path of an air into an engine compartment, and is switchable between an open state in which an air is permitted to be introduced and a closed state in which an introduction of an air is blocked; and a control mechanism that actuates the driving mechanism to move the wheel shutter to either one of the open position and the closed position in accordance with the open and closed states of the shutter device.

The invention is directed to a wheel (1) which comprises a rim (4) and a thereto connected spoke structure (3) made out of fiber reinforced plastic material. An insert (2) is embedded in the fiber reinforced material at the center of the spoke structure (3). The insert (2) protrudes in at least one region above the surface of the fiber reinforced plastic material (16) forming at least one contact area (10, 14, 5).

A power generating wheel rim device includes a wheel rim body, a power generating mechanism, a cover mechanism, and a circuit mechanism. The wheel rim body includes a central plate and a central slot recessed into the central plate. The power generating mechanism is embedded in the central slot and is operable to be driven by the wheel rim body to rotate and to generate electricity. The cover mechanism covers the power generating mechanism, is mounted to the central plate of the wheel rim body, and includes an air permeable passage structure that is annular and disposed along a periphery of the cover mechanism and that is in 10 spatial communication with an external environment and the central slot. The circuit mechanism is mounted in the cover mechanism and is electrically connected to the power generating mechanism for converting alternating current of the electricity generated into direct current.

The invention relates to a vehicle wheel comprising a wheel rim (12) that has a hub portion (38), a rim base (36) for receiving a tire, a plurality of support portions (40) interposed between the hub portion (38) and the rim base (36), at least one interspace (42) between the support portions (40), and at least one cover element (44) associated with the interspace (42), characterized in that the cover element (44) can be transferred from a first position to a second position by pneumatic actuation.

A variable aerodynamic wheel includes: a spoke wheel having a plurality of spokes connecting a hub and a rim together are spaced apart from each other, and a plurality of through spaces defined between the plurality of spokes to allow air to pass therethrough; a variable flap rotatably disposed in the plurality of through spaces of the spoke wheel, and configured in a shape to cover an associated through space so as to open or close the associated through space according to a rotation angle thereof; and a drive unit disposed in the spoke wheel, and connected to the variable flap such that the rotation angle of the variable flap is adjusted as rotational power is transmitted.

A wheel cover assembly for a vehicle wheel is provided. The wheel cover assembly includes a mounting apparatus and a wheel cover. The mounting apparatus is adapted for mounting on lug nuts of a vehicle wheel. The mounting apparatus is adjustable in both axial and radial directions. Dual quick release connections releasably connect the wheel cover to the mounting apparatus. The wheel cover may include a plurality of ventilation openings, and a plurality of radially extending fan blades may be disposed on an inner surface of the wheel cover.

A fiber-composite ventilation flap for a vehicle is made of a laminate formed by at least two individual tiers. At least one of the individual tiers has respective unidirectionally oriented fibers, and wherein the at least two individual tiers are arranged in the laminate in such a way that the fibers thereof are oriented at least predominantly differently to one another. The fibers of the at least two individual tiers are oriented differently to one another in such a way that at least one region of the fiber-composite ventilation flap curves about a predefined primary axis under the influence of heat and is thereby in an open state.

Methods and systems of an active aerodynamic wheel cap device are provided. The active aerodynamic wheel cap device can be mounted to a vehicle wheel and configured to actuate from a flap-open to a flap-closed state. The flap-open state provides an air vent path from an outer portion of a wheel to an internal component of the wheel, especially at low speeds or during braking. The flap-closed state provides a substantially gapless aerodynamic cap for the wheel of the vehicle at highway speeds or during acceleration. The actuation of the active aerodynamic wheel cap device may be based on an all-mechanical controlled centripetal force movement mechanism.

An airflow adjusting apparatus to be installed in a vehicle includes an airflow generator and a controller. The airflow generator is provided on an inner surface of a wheel house or on a wheel. The wheel house provides a wheel containing section of a vehicle body. The wheel is contained in the wheel containing section. The airflow generator is configured to generate an airflow that flows from the wheel containing section toward outer side in a vehicle widthwise direction. The controller is configured to control the airflow generator.